Humidor package



p 24, 1957 D. J. WILLIAMS 2,807,514

I HUMIDOR PACKAGE Filed March 1, 1955 L.) 4 4 I INVENTOR 1 1g David J. Williams.

HUMIDOR PACKAGE David John Williams, Olyphant, Pa. Application March. 1,, 1955, Serial No. 491,461

4 Claims. ((1312-31) This invention relates to humi'dor'pa'ckages andis more particularly concerned with packagesof cigarettes and other tobacco products which contain means for mamtaining the cigarettes therein in a fresh condition.

One of the objects of this invention is the provision of a humidor package of tobacco in which the means for maintaining the tobacco in a fresh condition is a chemical agent separated from and out of contact with the tobacco itself.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a humidor package of the type mentioned which can be manufactured on existing machines with very little modifications.

A further object of the invention is the provision of such a package which can be made of substantially the same size and shape as conventional packages of tobacco products.

A still further object of the invention is the pl'OVlSlOIl of a tobacco package containing a humidor agent in combination with an agent for absorbing harsh volatile tobacco odors while in the package, whereby after a period of storage the tobacco will be fresher and smoke cooler and sweeter than tobacco from a similar package. that does not contain such agents.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description considered together with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an unopened conventional package of cigarettes containing an embodiment of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same package opened at the top.

Fig. 3 is an open flat view of the wrapper itself.

Fig. 4 is a section along the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Referring with more particularity to the drawing in which like numerals designate like parts, the embodiment illustrated comprises an ordinary or conventional package of cigarettes, usually made to hold twenty cigarettes 10, and having a cellophane exterior wrapping 11 and an interior laminated sheet of wrapping 12 having a foil layer 13 on the outerside and a layer 14 of ordinary paper on the inside.

The sheet 12 is wider than the length of the cigarettes or the space in which the tobacco products are retained in the package, to provide marginal edges 15 and 16 for folding over at the ends, the central section 17 betwepn these edges being equal to the length of the cigarettes in the package.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided on the inside surface of the wrapping 12 directly on the paper 14, a strip 18 of a conditioning agent characterized by the fact that it will release moisture from itself slowly. For this purpose I prefer to use a mixture of glycerine (U. S. P.), potassium bitartrate and charcoal. The mixture is prepared by combining the potassium bitartrate withthe charcoal in the approximate proportion of about 95 parts to parts, by weight, respectively,

nitedi States Patent more pleasing smoke.

2. and then adding sufiicient glycerine to form a paste. The paste should not be runny, but should be loose enough to enable it to be readily spread, stamped or printed on the sheet by a tool to be used for the purpose, such as a brush, spatula, or automatic applicator. No water is added to the mixture, except what is normally present in the ingredients. No heating or other processing of any kind is necessary.

The mixturev is applied to the sheet. 12 in the form of a strip 18, as indicated above, running lengthwise, as illustrated, or diagonally of the sheet and the central sec tion 17 is loosely covered. by a water impervious sheet '19, such. as wax paper, cellophane, or other suitable material. The marginal edges 15 and 16 of the sheet 12 are left uncovered by the sheet 19, substantially as shown. Consequently, when the package is formed about the cigarettes, for example, the ends, of the cigarettes arein gaseous communication with. the strip 13, while the cigarettes themselves are prevented from bodily touching the strip because of the sheet 19 acting as a baffle.

As a result of this arrangement, the tobacco in the package is maintained in a fresh condition for a considerable period as shown by repeated tests which have been made.

The action of the conditioning agent is believed to be as follows: Glycerine (U. S. P.) is a dilute form of concentrated glycerine and contains distilled water in excess of the amount which would normally be absorbed from the atmosphere by concentrated glycerine, a well known humectant. Thus, when this dilute form of glycerine is exposed to the atmosphere, it may give up moisture to the atmosphere in an amount and at a rate depending upon the humidity of the ambient air until an equilibrium is established under the particular humidity conditions prevailing. Potassium bitartrate acts as a regulating agent to cause the moisture to be released from the glycerine slowly and thus maintain a proper level of moisture in the package for a longer period. Any other agent or agents having the same or the equivalent properties could be substituted for these ingredients.

The charcoal is used to give a body or higher density to the mixture and thus permit it to be applied in the manner indicated. By using charcoal in activated form, a further beneficial action is obtained from the fact that it will absorb harsh tobacco odors and thus result in a This absorption is definitely indicated by actual tests conducted.

In the case of a cigarette package of the regular size type, it is preferred that the strip 13 be about one-half of an inch in width and about four inches in length in the center of the sheet running diagonally of the cigarettes. The width of the strip maybe varied in the case of the so-called king size cigarettes, or in cases where more or fewer than twenty cigarettes are to be wrapped.

The agent should be spread evenly and thin and should be spread before the foil, sheet 12reaches the automatic wrapping machine. An automatic printing, or stamping machine, or any other suitable device, may be placed between the conventional roll of foil wrapping employed with cigarette wrapping machines, and the device thereof which pulls and cuts the foil sheet into correct lengths in the wrapping machine proper. The protective sheet 18 can obviously be applied subsequently from a suitable roll feed.

Thus, it is apparent that the invention is readily adaptable to conventional types of wrapping machines withvery little difiiculty or investment on the part of the packager.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to packages of cigarettes, but

such as a pipe tobacco, cigars, etc.

may be used in connec-- tion with packages of any other type of tobacco products,

This invention is not intended to substitute for the conventional humectants or conditioning agents admixed with tobacco products generally, because the chemical agent of this invention functions by giving off moisture, rather than absorbing moisture.

I claim:

1. A wrapper for a package of cigarettes comprising a laminated sheet having a foil layer on one side presented as the outerside and, a paper layer on the opposite side presented as the innerside, said sheet havinga medial portion thewidth of whichis equal to the length of the cigarettes to be packaged and which is adapted to form the side walls of the package, and extended portions for folding. over the ends of the cigarettes to form the end walls of the package, a moisture evolving agent in the form" of aspreadable paste on an area of the medial portion of the paper layer and in direct contact therewith, and a moisture impervious sheet of paper on the medial portion only overlying and completely covering the area containing said agent and the said medial portion.

2. A wrapper as defined by claim 1 in which the agent comprises a pasty mixture of glycerine and potassium bitartrate.

3; A wrapper as defined by claim 1 in which the agent comprises a pasty mixture of glycerine, potassium bitartrate and powdered charcoal.

4. In a package having a laminated sheet wrapper, said wrapper having a foil layer on the outside and a paper layer on the inside, a medial portion of the wrapper forming the side wall of the package and marginal portions forming the end walls of the package; a moisture evolving agent in the form of a spreadable paste on an area of the medial portion of the paper layer and in direct contact therewith, and a moisture impervious sheet of paper on the medial portion only overlying completely the area containing said agent and the said medial portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,532,831 Mastin Apr. 7, 1925 1,556,951 Marshall Oct. 13, 1925 1,920,588 Pacini Aug. 1,1933 1,967,554 v Gross July 24, 1934 2,009,279 Smith July 23, 1935 2,368,140, Johnson Jan. 30, 1945 2,545,710 Snyder Mar. 20, 1951 

